The former health secretary was giving a talk at Eton, the elite private school, when he took a jab at his Conservative colleague.
According to The Times Diary, Hancock joked about how Rees-Mogg was “not a good politician” – seemingly unaware Rees-Mogg’s son, Peter, was in the audience.
Pupils were later given the chance to ask questions, and the 16-year-old reportedly stood up and insisted his father was a great man in public and in private. He added: “Especially as he remained loyal to his wife.”
Hancock was married with three children when he embarked on an affair with aide Gina Coladangelo.
He was forced to quit as health secretary after video footage emerged of them kissing in his office in breach of the social distancing rules he had set during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rees-Mogg senior told The Telegraph: “I think Peter was brave to stand up in front of hundreds of boys to take on a senior figure.
“It shows backbone and from my point of view admirable loyalty.”
A friend of Hancock’s told HuffPost UK: “Matt thoroughly enjoyed the evening and the sparring with some very impressive boys.”
Locking the UK down three weeks earlier would have saved “many, many lives” during the Covid pandemic, Matt Hancock has claimed.
The former health secretary said the measures should have been introduced on March 2, 2020 instead of March 23.
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He admitted that he was speaking with the benefit of hindsight and defended the government’s decision to hold off from locking down the country at the time.
Hancock was speaking during his second evidence session at the Covid Inquiry.
He said: “At the time, there was still enormous uncertainty, the number of cases was still very low – in fact, there were only 12 cases reported on March 1 – and the costs of what I’m proposing were known and huge.
“So I defend the actions that were taken by the government at the time, knowing what we did, but with hindsight, that’s the moment we should have done it, three weeks earlier, and it would have been, would have saved, many, many lives.
“Having obviously thought about this and reflected on this a huge deal over the last few years, the first moment we realistically could have really cracked it was on March 2, three weeks earlier than we did.”
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Hancock was also accused by Dominic Cummings of lying to the inquiry over his claim that he had pushed then prime minister Boris Johnson on March 13 to order a lockdown.
Cummings posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Hancock flat out lying to inquiry claiming he privately pushed for lockdown on 13th with PM – but admits there’s no evidence for it .”
An ally of Hancock hit back: “Cummings is not a reliable witness and this tweet is wrong.
“Matt called Boris on 13th, argued for lockdown on 14th and then Boris invited Matt into the smaller meeting after Cummings had tried to exclude him.”
Dominic Cummings has accused Matt Hancock of “flat out lying” to the Covid Inquiry by claiming he was the first to push for the UK to go into lockdown.
The former health secretary Hancock claimed he urged then prime minister Boris Johnson to enforce a lockdown on March 13, 2020.
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But in a scathing post on X (formerly Twitter) as Hancock was still giving evidence to the inquiry, Cummings said that was untrue.
He said: “Hancock flat out lying to Inquiry claiming he privately pushed for lockdown on 13th with PM – but admits there’s no evidence for it .”
Hancock flat out lying to Inquiry claiming he privately pushed for lockdown on 13th with PM – but admits there’s no evidence for it – and again on 14th in mtngs – when evidence from ALL others & paper trail is that he was still pushing Plan A herd immunity 13-15th – and his Perm…
Cummings also claimed that he “physically stopped” the then-health secretary coming to a meeting the following day because he “was bull****ting everybody about herd immunity”.
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But an ally of Hancock said: “Cummings is not a reliable witness and this tweet is wrong.
“Matt called Boris on 13th, argued for lockdown on 14th and then Boris invited Matt into the smaller meeting after Cummings had tried to exclude him.”
Giving evidence today, Hancock told the inquiry that Cummings was a “malign influence” who created a toxic “culture of fear” in government.
Cummings is not the first witness to accuse the former health secretary of dishonesty.
And Helen MacNamara claimed he “regularly” told colleagues things “they later discovered weren’t true”.
Former deputy cabinet secretary Helen MacNamara also said Hancock would say things “which surprise people because they knew the evidence base wasn’t there”. Hancock refuted these claims during his evidence session.
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Covid inquiry counsel Hugo Keith also seemed skeptical at the legitimacy of Hancock’s lockdown assertions. He asked why there was no mention of it in his book, Pandemic Diaries.
“There is a whole page on how you woke up from the dawn flight to Belfast … you then went to Cardiff and so on.
“Telling the prime minister of this country, for the first time, that he had to call an immediate lockdown, is surely worthy of some recollection, is it not?”
Hancock replied: “I didn’t have full access to my papers for the writing of that, and this came to light in researching the papers ahead of this inquiry.”
Dominic Raab has become the latest Tory MP to announce that they are standing down at the next election.
He later signalled to journalists he was the victim of “activist civil servants” who oppose reforms such as Brexit, and the “tyranny of subjective hurt feelings”.
On Monday, the Telegraph reported Raab is quitting because he has been “increasingly concerned over the last few years about the pressure the job has placed on my young family”.
Raab holds a slim 2,743-vote majority in his Esher and Walton constituency in Surrey, which is a top target seat for the Liberal Democrats at the next election.
Matt Hancock has said his affair with Gina Coladangelo has led to the former health secretary having “an absolute bucket of shit poured over my head”.
In an interview with The Mail+ to coincide with his return from the I’m A Celebrity jungle, he renewed his pleas for “forgiveness” as he admitted his relationship with his assistant in the midst of the Covid pandemic was a “failure of leadership”.
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The ex-minister was forced to quit last year after video footage emerged of them kissing in his office in breach of social distancing rules he had set.
He told the publication they had fallen “deeply” in love, and as a result his “political judgment was off”.
“I want forgiveness for the mistake I made, the failure of leadership at the end of the pandemic when I fell in love with Gina and I broke the guidance that I’d signed off,” he said.
“I want forgiveness for the human error I made… but I’m not asking for forgiveness for how I handled the pandemic.
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“I woke up every single morning determined to do the very best I could in the most impossible circumstances until I needed to go to bed at night. I did that for 18 months.
“There is a good, honest explanation for every single decision I made, whether it turned out to be right or not.”
<img class="img-sized__img landscape" loading="lazy" alt="The Sun newspaper with the story about Matt Hancock and Gina Coladangelo.” width=”720″ height=”480″ src=”https://www.wellnessmaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/matt-hancock-thinks-hes-had-a-bucket-of-st-poured-over-my-head-2.jpg”>
The Sun newspaper with the story about Matt Hancock and Gina Coladangelo.
Kirsty O’Connor – PA Images via Getty Images
Hancock, who like Coladangelo, was married with three children when they embarked on their affair, said he was not seeking forgiveness for falling in love with her “because I love her very deeply”.
“We realised what was happening was of huge consequence that would last for the rest of our lives but… this was an affaire de coeur and therefore my political judgment was off,” he said.
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He said that he had faced “horrific” abuse after he announced that he was appearing on the reality TV show while still an MP.
“It’s been absolutely horrific, especially for Gina,” he said. “I love that woman and what does she get out of it? All she gets is me.”
He added: “I’ve had an absolute bucket of shit poured over my head. The even bigger bucket of shit has been poured over Gina’s.
“She’s given up everything other than her children and, just when she was putting her life back together, she lost an unpaid, positive charity role because I was going on I’m A Celebrity.”
He said that each day the public voted for him to remain he was “really pleased” but missed his children “desperately” and felt “guilty” about being away from his Coladangelo.
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He added: “I knew it was a risk the whip would be suspended – after all that is the precedent (when Tory MP Nadine Dorries went into the jungle) – but I didn’t expect it and went out of my way to go and see the Chief Whip before coming here.
“I haven’t seen everything Rishi said, but I do agree that public service is a noble profession.
“I think it’s vital MPs connect with the electorate, including the large swathes of people — especially younger people — who don’t connect through the traditional political media.”
The interview comes as Hancock’s Pandemic Diaries: The Inside Story Of Britain’s Battle Against Covid, are serialised in the Daily Mail and The Mail+.
They were released as he returned to Westminster for the first time following his controversial appearance on the ITV show.
Matt Hancock is set to end his near seven-week break from parliament when the sitting MP appears in the Commons for the first time since his I’m A Celebrity hiatus.
The former health secretary is scheduled to be back in parliament on Friday to debate his dyslexia bill, on the same day his pandemic journals are serialised in the Daily Mail.
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The ex-minister last spoke in the Commons on October 17, when he welcomed the “return of an iron-clad fiscal responsibility” under new chancellor Jeremy Hunt.
His re-appearance comes as speculation mounts over whether he will have the Tory whip restored and seek to stand again at the next election.
He is currently sitting as the independent MP for West Suffolk, having been suspended from the Conservative parliamentary party for choosing to head to the Australian jungle at a time when the house was sitting.
The MP is expected to tell parliament that the current approach to dyslexia “must change”.
“It is not only an issue of morality, but also of both social and economic justice,” he will say.
Friday’s order paper
UK Parlament
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Hancock, who was diagnosed with dyslexia at university, had vowed to use the “incredible platform” offered by I’m A Celebrity to raise awareness of the learning difficulty.
While his jungle jaunt drew criticism from colleagues, including prime minister Rishi Sunak, Hancock has “no intention of standing down or stepping away from politics”, according to his team.
Tory MPs have been given until Monday December 5 to declare their intention to re-run at the next general election, expected to be in 2024.
The second reading of Hancock’s dyslexia screening and teacher training bill is third on Friday’s order paper, meaning it is likely to be heard before the end of business.
Hancock will tell MPs: “So we rightly screen for physical health conditions to provide the support to individuals, so why don’t we screen for neurological conditions, too?
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“My bill today would result in every child being screened for dyslexia in primary schools and giving teachers the adequate level of training to be able to teach dyslexic children properly.”
He will call it an “outrage” that “while every teacher is a teacher of a dyslexic child, teachers do not need to be trained to support dyslexic children”.
“This leaves thousands of dyslexic children left in the classroom without the education they need and deserve.”
“It is a scandal that only one in every five dyslexic children leave school identified with their dyslexia. That means 80% of dyslexics go on to further education or into the world of work not knowing that they have a neurological condition, but just thinking they are bad at reading.”
As is normal procedure, other MPs can join the debate and representatives for both the government and opposition will have their say.
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Some might take the opportunity to have a dig at Hancock’s TV escapades since it will be their first chance to put their views to him directly in the house.
Tony Blair has defended Matt Hancock over his appearance in the I’m A Celebrity jungle – suggesting that his decision to park his political responsibilities for a spell in Australia “took courage”.
The former health secretary has faced a cross-party backlash and questions about his future in Westminster after coming third in the ITV show.
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The West Suffolk MP, who explained he was “looking for a bit of forgiveness” by appearing on the show, reached the final but came behind the winner, Euro 2022 champion Jill Scott, and Hollyoaks actor Owen Warner in a public vote on Sunday night.
Hancock broke coronavirus social distancing rules during the pandemic by having an affair in his ministerial office with aide Gina Coladangelo, and has told campmates it was caused by the fact he “fell in love”.
But even though prime minister Rishi Sunak said Hancock’s decision to enter the jungle was not “noble” because he was failing to prioritise his “constituents and our country”, he seemed to have support from the former Labour PM.
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Blair, who said that he had not been watching the popular TV show, told The News Agents podcast: “When you’ve been through the wringer as he has, and you know, as a politician who’s got to a certain level in politics, he’s probably got quite a lot of courage to go and do something like that.
“And I mean, people can attack him or whatever. But I always say this to (former Labour frontbencher) Ed Balls, who reinvented himself in this extraordinary way after leaving politics, and literally this is the most surprising thing I ever came across in terms of a post ministerial career.
“But, you know, it takes a lot of courage to go do something like that.
“I wished him well, from the outset. I worked with him a bit during the pandemic. And, you know, he was working hard, they were all working hard on it.”
The former Labour leader suggested that Hancock, who said entering the jungle would allow him to reach out to voters in a new way, might have had “a point”.
“I don’t think people’s political views are going to be changed one way or another.
“But I think the problem with politics nowadays is how do you communicate with people when you’re going into fragmented, media, social media, and when it’s quite difficult to get a message across to people who aren’t in your circle, because the way the media works today is essentially, it works by developing a constituency of people and essentially appealing to that constituency.
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“And if you’re not careful, you don’t break out and go and talk to the people who disagree with you. So, I guess in that sense, he’s got a point. But it’s quite an extreme way of reaching the public.”
Earlier, business secretary Grant Shapps suggested that Hancock’s time on the show indicated he may have come to the conclusion his career in Westminster is “pretty much done”.
However, Friday night’s episode of I’m A Celebrity featured the last elimination of the series before the final, with Hancock once again garnering enough public support to avoid being sent packing.
Instead, comedian and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Seann Walsh became the seventh star to leave the jungle, with just four contestants now remaining in camp.
He entered as a mole but is leaving as a legend. Seann is the seventh Celeb to leave the Jungle after keeping everyone entertained with his non-stop laughs and spot-on impressions! 💛 #ImACelebpic.twitter.com/faZidmwUhI
While Seann told Ant and Dec he was backing Jill Scott to win, he also praised Hancock, with whom he entered the jungle on the same day, describing him as a “lovely guy”.
“He’s in there for a reason,” the comic added.
Sean also said of his time in camp: “We all listened to each other in there. I don’t know if that is common in the jungle – and everyone kind of got their story out and there was so much support.
“I feel like everyone in there, not just for me, but I think we all accepted one another for who we are today.”
Seann Walsh leaves the I’m A Celebrity jungle
James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock
Last week, news presenter Charlene White became the first celebrity to be eliminated, with A Place In The Sun’s Scarlette Douglas, Coronation Street star Sue Cleaver and pop singer Boy George leaving in the following days.
Hancock will be joined in the semi-final by footballer Jill Scott, Hollyoaks actor Owen Warner and rugby player Mike Tindall, one of whom will be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle at the end of the series.
I’m A Celebrity returns on Saturday night at 9.15pm on ITV1, with the final then airing on Sunday.
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Matt Hancock had made it through to the I’m A Celebrity final, rather than the semi-final.
Matt Hancock’s stay in the jungle is to be extended after surviving the first I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! public vote.
Journalist Charlene White was voted off after receiving the fewest votes.
The 42-year-old Loose Women star told hosts Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnely: “This is really, really weird.”
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It means the former health secretary will continue his pursuit of “a bit of forgiveness”, which he said was his reason for appearing on the show.
Hancock broke coronavirus social distancing rules during the pandemic by having an affair in his ministerial office with aide Gina Coladangelo, and has told campmates it was caused by the fact he “fell in love”.
The serving MP has faced criticism from opposition politicians and from within his own party for heading to Australia, with the Tory whip suspended.
Prime minister Rishi Sunak said Hancock’s decision to enter the jungle was not “noble” because he was failing to prioritise his “constituents and our country”.
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Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom says it has received almost 2,000 complaints about the ITV show – the majority objecting to the former health secretary’s participation.
It came after Boy George had told Hancock on that he has been “hating on” the former health secretary during their time in the jungle.
The 61-year-old Culture Club singer apologised to the MP for his behaviour to him and said he found it difficult to “separate” the politician from the person.
On Friday, Boy George told comedian Seann Walsh: “(I) can’t stand Matt. I have tried to like him and I’ve failed. I find him slimy, I find him slippery.
“I find him just … I made a joke about chocolate. He just looked at me like … I wanted to say, ‘What are you looking at? Don’t you look at me like that’.”
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Hancock then joined the conversation and Boy George told him: “I was making a joke about the chocolate. For god’s sake I was like … let’s have a bit of fun.
“I didn’t like the way you looked at me. I made a joke and you were like…”
Hancock said it was not his “intention” and he was sorry for making him feel “uncomfortable”.
Boy George then told the Bush Telegraph: “He’s probably going to be quite upset and I was kicking off a bit and I just thought, ‘you know what, just tell him to his face what you feel’.”
The singer then told Hancock: “I just feel everyone’s trying to be too nice. It’s getting on my tits. I don’t want arguments … I’m just like come on guys, have a laugh.
“I’ll be honest with you, I think your presence has made everyone very compliant.”
Hancock replied: “Compliant, it’s a funny word.”
Boy George said: “I have been hating on you, I have to be honest. I sometimes feel like you don’t say what you mean and you’re not particularly direct.”
He added: “I’m trying to separate you as a human being and you as a politician, and I’m struggling with it. We don’t share the same politics.
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“I am struggling a little bit with you. That’s not your problem, that’s my problem. I apologise because I was really slagging you off a minute ago.”
Hancock said he would prefer the truth and has “enjoyed spending time with” Boy George.
Parliament’s standards watchdog has received dozens of complaints about Matt Hancock swapping Westminster for I’m A Celebrity – including one criticising his decision to eat “a buffet of animal genitalia” in a Bushtucker Trial on Remembrance Day.
Parliamentary commissioner for standards Kathryn Stone told MPs on Tuesday that her office had receive “dozens of complaints” about the former health secretary’s decision to join the reality TV show.
“It raises really important questions about members’ proper activities while they’re supposed to be fulfilling their parliamentary duties and representing their constituents,” she said.
“One member of the public contrasted the dignity of veterans on Remembrance Sunday with a former secretary of state and they said this individual was waiting for a buffet of animal genitalia and they wondered what had happened to the dignity of public office.”
On Remembrance Day on Friday, Hancock munched on a camel’s penis, sheep’s vagina and cow’s anus.
Stone, who is soon to leave her role, said “there is no job description for MPs but we have to think very carefully about the conflict between public and private interests, bringing the House into disrepute and so on”.
But she said it was not something that would fall to her office to investigate, telling the Commons Standards Committee, “it doesn’t breach a rule per se, unless we are thinking about the conflict between personal and public interest, and settling that conflict in the interests of the public”.
Hancock has come in for widespread criticism for his decision to fly out to compete on the popular ITV show, which has seen him take part in several Bushtucker Trials already.
